Planing motorboats are normally driven at relatively high speeds. The difference in speed compared to sailing boats and other non-planing motorboats is therefore appreciable. Since the steering characteristics for planing boats differ somewhat from conventional boats, inexperienced helmsmen experience difficulties at such high speeds. Near-accidents can have many different causes within the common expression "poor seamanship". It would however be desirable if the steering characteristics of planing motor boats were more similar to those of conventional boats.
When executing a turn with a planing boat, what normally happens, without going too deeply into the hydrodynamic factors which come into play, is the following:
If the rudder is moved to e.g. the right, the bow of the boat does not immediately turn towards the desired direction. The rudder blade, or the propulsion unit in the case where steering and propulsion are integrated, generates a side force to the left. The stern is not however moved immediately out to the left since the boat's inertia provides resistance. During the start of the turning manoeuvre it can be said that the rudder skids in the water. The side forces gradually start to take effect so that the stern is drawn to the left, whereby the longitudinal extension of the boat begins to deviate from the original course. The angular deviation implies that water pressure is exerted on the head of the boat from the side so that the bow and the stern move in different directions, i.e. the turn has now commenced. The effect of this procedure is normally that the boat first moves a little to the left of the original course before the right turn occurs.
It is easy to recognise that two fast moving, planing boats on a direct collision course can meet with problems if avoiding manoeuvres are not initiated in time. These steering problems arise on many planing boats, irrespective of whether they are provided with propeller or waterjet drive, integral or separate rudder and propulsion.